


I Know We're One (Just Me and You)

by MollyBee



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Barba is too mean but he feels bad he's really pulling pigtails, Carisi is a dork with lists and being kinda creepy really but yeah, i dont know, i'm gonna rename this thing at some point, im sorry, theres just not enough Barisi in this world, yeah - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-02
Updated: 2015-03-06
Packaged: 2018-03-16 01:45:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3469835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MollyBee/pseuds/MollyBee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carisi is not crushing and Barba is absolutely not pulling pigtails. Never.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

This crush is almost certainly going to be the death of him. It started as an innocent little attraction but it grows with every glance his way, Jesus, with every time he catches sight on the man. And everyone knows now, he can’t hide it. Fin thinks it’s hilarious, but it really is going to kill him, he’s sure of it. He lights up every time Barba walks in to the precinct. It's an effort, every time, to clamp down on the immediate urge to appear next to him and try again to win him over. On good days, he has the restraint to wait a few seconds before pretending to then notice him. As if he hasn't been waiting since the second they got the case, hasn't been waiting for the sound of Barba's expensive shoes on the floor and whatever barbs he throws out as his dramatic entrance.

 

He knows these things about Barba, (and God, does he wish he knew more): 

  *         Barba ~~is pretty~~ dresses well.
  *         Barba likes coffee.
  *         Barba is a little... Dramatic. 



 

And so Sonny is there, cooly slinking up to his side in suits he really can't afford with coffee before Barba has the chance to ask, laughing politely (but ultimately apologising and aiming to try so much harder) when Barba spits out that Carisi has done such a poor job of gathering evidence that he should just quit and become a barista. He knows Barba doesn't mean it out of the heat of the moment. He's too cute for his words to really sting, most of the time.

 

(What does hurt, however, is when Barba deliberately shoots down any point Carisi dares to make. He’s learnt now; every word out of his mouth is carefully thought out and researched, he knows he’s right before he asks “Am I right, Counsellor?” but it’s like Barba gets his kicks shooting him down. Here's another thing he knows about Barba: he has a heart of gold, but sometimes that guy can be a real jerk.)

 

He’s viewing Barba as more of a project than a person lately. He thinks maybe analysing the man critically and actually understanding his ways might allow him to find a way in. Which is why every time Barba verbally drop kicks him, he just makes a mental tally. For example:

 

  *         He’s meaner on Mondays, after weekends he should have spent relaxing and winding down, spewing fire with great bags under his eyes.
  *         His mocking is more playful than cruel when they finish a case, amplified to almost friendly banter if Carisi has visibly tried to dress better, after Barba’s many comments on his wardrobe, and to a similar extent if he has improved in other ways, such as with the coffee.



 

Every time Barba walks in, Carisi feels just a little more prepared. But he wasn’t prepared for this. His lists are useless out of a professional context, and bumping into Barba in the elevator for his own building is a shock to the system.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why was Barba in Carisi's building to begin with? The story of how Liv and Fin made Barba grow up.

He walks in to Liv’s office and his stride immediately falters under the weight of the glare she’s throwing him.

“I swear to God, Barba, do you have a personal vendetta against Carisi? The poor guy can’t seem to breathe without you yelling at him.”

  
For once, Barba is speechless. There’s silence for an uncomfortably long time, in which Olivia just glares more. He imagines it’s a lot like staring down the barrel of a gun.

  
“Well?”

“I didn’t realise I was being so harsh. I guess I just got caught up in it. He does make some spectacular fuck ups though, you have to admit!”

  
“He makes far fewer than Nick, or Rollins; heck even Fin lately. The guy is working so hard to prove you wrong, Rafi. Be a little nicer?” His expression is schooled into something vaguely apologetic, and she supposes that will have to do, because there’s a knock on the door.

  
“Sorry, I couldn’t help but deliberately overhear through this open doorway. Permission to join you in ribbing the Counsellor?” Fin asks, looking both disappointed and angry. Barba’s face immediately sobers.

  
“It’s bad enough that you’re being so mean to a guy who just wants you to like him, but I wouldn’t interfere if that was the whole reason why he was so upset.” He gestures behind him, as if recalling the moments beforehand when an uncharacteristically quiet Carisi asked to be allowed to leave early, and then forgot his coat when he did so.  
“The guy is completely in love with you, so you need to stop pulling his pigtails and go apologise.”

  
“Should you have really told me that? Isn’t there a rule like things spoken about while drunk should only be spoken about while drunk? Sacred boys’ night law?” Barba retorted, pulling on his scarf in case one of the next things out of Fin’s mouth gave him cause to storm out.

  
“You were there! You can’t just pretend you didn’t hear him. You go on about how young he is, but you’re the immature one! Now go and say you’re sorry!” Barba paused in his movements, before admitting defeat and trudging out. Liv looked at Fin in surprise.

  
“I have got to start coming back to boys' night.”

  
And so Barba found himself, less than an hour later, standing in the elevator for Carisi’s bulding with a pizza box in one hand, rehearsing his apology when Carisi himself joined him.

  
“Counsellor. Didn’t know you knew anyone who lived here.”

  
“I know you. Listen, I’ve come to apologise. Here,” he pointed his chin toward the pizza he was carrying “Peace offering. Forgive me?”


End file.
